I’ve secured $1 Quadrillion in assets. Now, I’m helping you protect yours.

Most organizations view cybersecurity as a “necessary evil”—a black hole where budgets disappear. I spent 15 years in the trenches of global finance, pharma, and technology proving the opposite.

I don’t just “do” security. I protect the engine of global commerce.

Throughout my career, I have:

• Secured assets worth over $1 quadrillion for global institutions.

• Managed risk for capital market applications processing $600T annually.

• Architected security for $100M+ projects that drove enterprise-wide growth.

• Resolved critical stability issues that took down 1,200 ATMs, restoring financial continuity.

• Supported the security strategy for global entities like Euroclear, Takeda, and AT&T.

Why This Publication Exists

In a 2026 landscape dominated by AI-driven threats, regulatory shifts, and operational chaos, you don’t need another technical “how-to” guide. You need Strategic Resilience.

This newsletter provides the “Executive Blueprint” for:

1. Profit-Driven Security: How to stop “checking boxes” and start aligning NIST, ISO, and PCI-DSS frameworks with your bottom line.

2. AI & Bot Governance: Lessons from my experience leading cyber risk assessments on AI and automation for global clearinghouses.

3. The Resilience Architecture: How to build systems that survive disaster, from pandemic-level WFH shifts to EMEA-wide payment hub migrations.

About Mike Boutwell

I am a Senior Information Security Professional and Author of Profit-Driven Cybersecurity and The Ransomware Handbook. I hold the industry’s most respected certifications, including CISSP, CISA, CGEIT, and ISO 27001 Senior Lead Auditor.

I’ve spent a decade and a half collaborating with CISOs and CIOs to build frameworks that don’t just “stop hackers”—they enable business velocity.

Portfolio of Work

I specialize in quantifying and securing the world’s most critical financial and industrial infrastructures. My work moves cybersecurity from a “cost center” to a strategic business enabler, ensuring that security frameworks are aligned with aggressive global growth and regulatory resilience.

The Published Strategy

I have authored two seminal works that redefine how executives view digital risk:

• Profit-Driven Cybersecurity (2023): A guide on implementing risk-based security that drives, rather than hinders, business alignment.

• The Ransomware Handbook (2021): A global release available in 10,000+ retailers and archived in the Library of Congress.

Thought Leadership & Articles

I contribute regularly to the global dialogue on emerging threats and governance:

• PECB Insights Column: Full library of articles on Ethical Hacking in the AI Era and Corporate Governance. Read my column here.

• ISACA Insights: Specialized analysis on the governance of enterprise IT and risk optimization. Read my column here.

Speaking & Global Influence

I am a frequent voice at the intersection of security and the boardroom:

• Keynote & Panels: PECB DataSafe Symposium, Risk Digital.

• Digital Engagement: Lead presenter for several PECB Webinars and digital summits

  • Utilizing ISO/IEC 27000 Series To Build A Resilient Cybersecurity Culture

  • The Ethics of Deepfakes: Implications for Society and Personal Privacy

  • Securing the Future: ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 42001, and AI Governance

• Governance: Board Member for the (ISC)² Global Achievement Awards Committee.

Advisory & Strategic Oversight

I provide technical and strategic guidance for next-generation security products:

• Cisco ET&I: Expert Cyber Security Advisor for the Panoptica Cloud Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP) product development.

• NEDA Certified: Formally trained as a Certified Non-Executive Director, bridging the gap between technical complexity and fiduciary duty.

Signature Projects

• Financial Infrastructure: Led cyber risk assessments for critical applications vital to capital markets, processing €600 Trillion annually.

• Global Transformation: Directed the security strategy for Takeda Pharma’s Slovakia Innovation Center, scaling from 30 to 300 staff while securing 60,000+ workstations.

• Manufacturing Resilience: Architected the global IT/OT security strategy and governance for Inalfa Roof Systems, achieving 95% endpoint coverage in 45 days.